A young Paisley man has been jailed after telling cops he was carrying two knives for the same reason officers wear stab vests.
Connor Ponsenby was caught with a kitchen knife and martial arts weapon on February 23 in the town’s Dalskeith Road.
Ponsenby, of Glencoats Drive was arrested and, after appearing in the dock at Paisley Sheriff Court from custody, he made no motion for bail and was remanded in custody.
The 23-year-old effectively asked to be jailed after stating he wouldn’t comply with a community-based disposal.
Procurator fiscal depute Andrew Morrison told the town’s court: “Police on mobile patrol observed the accused unsteady on his feet and bouncing as he walked.
“Officers observed him to be under the influence of an unknown substance with his pupils dilated and he was slurring his words.
“The accused was searched and officers discovered a kitchen knife with a three-inch blade in his left trouser pocket.
“Ponsenby was asked by officers the reason why he had the knife and he replied, ‘same reason you have your stab vests on’.
“The accused was handcuffed and, in a further search, another knife was found in his right trouser pocket which was a tactical survivor knife with a 3.5-inch blade. This is a martial arts weapon.
“But due to the accused’s level of intoxication, he wasn’t formally cautioned and charged at the time.”
Defence agent Kirsty McGeehan told the court her client “wasn’t being disrespectful” in not seeking a community-based disposal.
Ms McGeehan explained: “He appeared in this court on February 24 and he didn’t want bail.
“There’s been no motion for bail as he knows he won’t engage with anything other than a custodial sentence.
“He isn’t being disrespectful but he feels a community payback order would be setting him up to fail – he won’t comply.
“Given an alternative isn’t a viable option, I ask that a custodial sentence is backdated and that the starting point be lower than normal given he is only 23 years old.”
Sentencing, Sheriff Suhkwinder Gill said: “I see you are a young man of 23. You have a record including assault to severe injury and permanent disfigurement.
“You’ve been quite candid in that you don’t want a community payback order as you feel it’s setting you up to fail; and you were caught with not one but two knives.”
Sheriff Gill sentenced Ponsenby to nine months behind bars reduced to seven months to reflect the timing of his plea. Sentence was backdated to his date of remand on February 24.
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